"Havoc" has been my most anticipated action-thriller of 2025. But after watching it, I have some regrets about hyping it up so much.
Not because it's a bad movie. Despite the problems I have with it, it's a good movie.
But ultimately, "Havo" is at best a poor man's version of some of the great action movies, including writer/director Gareth Evans' own "The Raid" from 2011. There are a few moments that will stand on their own, but in even those moments, I found myself thinking I had seen it before, just better.
Despite a killer cast, 'Havoc' is a relatively standard action crime thriller
Ultimately, I think my biggest disappointment is that the movie's incredible cast never manages to unleash its full potential.
Again, like with the movie itself, the acting isn't bad. Tom Hardy is a serviceable leading man as Walker, and Timothy Olyphant, as the crooked cop Vincent, is a relatively compelling villain.
But Olyphant is just one of several villains in the movie. There's also Forest Whitaker, who plays Lawrence Beaumont, a well-connected real estate mogul running for mayor with dirt on Walker. Lawrence's son Charlie is being pursued by Big Sister (Yeo Yann Yann), who runs the Chinese main chapter of a local crime outfit in the unnamed fictional city that "Havoc" is set in, because she thinks Charlie killed her son Tsui (Jeremy Ang Jones).
Except he didn't. Her son was killed by mysterious assassins who showed up at a sale at the behest of Ching (Sunny Pang), Tsui's underboss.
With all these different factions, we don't get enough time to sink our teeth into any of them. Which is a shame, because Olyphant and Whitaker can really chew up the scenery if given the chance — but they never are.
Nor are they quite menacing or ruthless in a way that makes us terrified of what they can do. Olyphant and Whitaker could both certainly be menacing, and Yeo Yann Yann is ruthless on more than one occasion. But ultimately, you're left feeling the plot and story are merely ways to drive us from one action scene to the next.
For the record, that's a valid path for an action movie to take. But if that's the goal, I'd have preferred a cast of actors who excel at combat, or for these actors to show that they've learned how to act out a combat scene. Hardy's the only big name that gets moments to showcase hand-to-hand combat skills.
Action fans will still enjoy 'Havoc'
Despite the shortcomings of "Havoc," if you're an action movie fan who regularly consumes films like "John Wick," "Nobody" and "The Raid," you'll probably still have a good time.
Light spoilers for "Havoc" beyond this point
The earlier part of the movie is a bit lighter on the action, and this is a more gunplay-focused movie than I expected, but as it goes on, the action picks up, and we do get some incredible hand-to-hand combat.
Ultimately, the movie peaks during two set pieces. Towards the middle is a showdown between Hardy's Walker, Charlie (Lawrence Beaumont's son that Walker has been chasing throughout the movie) and Mia (Charlie's love interest), the crew of crooked cops led by Olyphant's Vincent, which is then interrupted by the arrival of Big Sister's soldiers.
This probably has the best hand-to-hand combat of the movie, with even Charlie and Mia pulling out some killer moves. It was probably my favorite scene, and very reminiscent of "John Wick."
Then there's a climactic showdown outside the city, and while it's very heavy on the gunplay, it's got a great hand-to-hand combat sequence between Walker and Big Sister's main lieutenant. It also features an incredible killing move that I'm not going to spoil here.
So if you like action movies, "Havoc" is still worth a watch. But if the vaunted cast and crew had you hoping for something more, I'd temper your expectations.
Stream "Havoc" now on Netflix
Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He's not one to shy away from a hot take, including that "John Wick" is one of the four greatest films ever made.
Here's what he's been watching lately:
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